Austin Reaves Named His All-Time NBA Starting 5

Austin Reaves is a feel-good success story that fans love so much about the NBA. As an undrafted four-year college player out of Wichita State and Oklahoma, the Arkansas native was counted out immediately upon arriving with the Lakers. He turned 23 before he ever suited up for LA, which is often seen as a developmental death sentence for a rookie.

Nevertheless, Reaves was an instant success who clearly grasped what it took to be a professional. He made good decisions, was a good passer, and helped the team’s offense run smoothly in the midst of a turbulent Lakers 2021-22 season with Russell Westbrook.

Fast-forward four years, and Reaves has just finished his first 20-plus points-per-game season (20.2), as the third option behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James. On days when LA missed their stars, Reaves showed he was capable of leading an NBA offense as the primary initiator.

Austin is now considered a fringe All-Star player with still more room to grow and is on one of the best contracts in the NBA. He’s also been known to give funny answers to media questions and on podcasts. Before last season, he went on BustaJackGolf and was asked to give his all-time NBA starting lineup.

Reaves gave an interesting group of mostly modern-day players, which is sure to anger some older fans, as he noted on the podcast. He certainly snubbed some notable Lakers legends.

PG: Stephen Curry

At point guard, Austin Reaves immediately made a costly omission, at least in the eyes of the Laker faithful. The undrafted star chose Stephen Curry over Magic Johnson in the greatest PG debate, despite being a current member of the purple and gold. To be fair, Reaves stressed that he only chose modern players because that’s what he’s familiar with.

With that said, while choosing Curry in lieu of Johnson is suspect considering the franchise Reaves plays for, it’s certainly a valid decision. Steph is the greatest shooter of all time and is also the most influential player in league history, as he redefined the modern game of basketball with his three-point barrages.

In his 16-year career, Curry has compiled 11 All-Star and All-NBA appearances, two league MVPs, and four championships. He was the most important figure in Golden State’s dynastic run that began in the mid-2010s. The Davidson product with skinny ankles is now the all-time leader in three-pointers.

As someone who has competed against Curry in a playoff series before (2023 WCSF), Reaves knows first-hand how difficult he is to stop. Steph’s movements terrify opposing defenses because of his shooting threat from anywhere on the floor, creating tons of space for his teammates. LA only made it out of that series because of the greatness of Anthony Davis and Curry’s lack of help.

SG: Michael Jordan

For his shooting guard, Reaves chose his oldest player in the lineup, Michael Jordan. This should be an easy pick for anyone in any era, as Mike isn’t just the best shooting guard of all-time, he’s arguably the GOAT. There’s no other correct choice for this spot in an all-time starting five.

MJ is a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, and nine-time All-Defensive member. He won five league MVPs, 10 scoring titles, and his 30.1 career points per game mark is first in NBA history. Beyond his accolades, however, he is a competitor so fierce that he chose to make up slights by opponents to motivate himself in meaningless regular-season games.

Jordan is the most dominant winner the league has seen post-Bill Russell, who controlled the league in its infancy. No, MJ shut off the water in the NBA for over half a decade, winning six championships and Finals MVPs in eight seasons. The only two years he didn’t hoist the trophy were when he left the league to play minor league baseball.

SF: Kobe Bryant

Luckily, Reaves avoided more sacrilege by still selecting the second greatest SG ever, Kobe Bryant. Sliding up to the small forward spot was Bryant, who nearly accomplished the impossible goal of emulating his idol, Michael Jordan. “Bean” imitated everything about Mike, from his swag to his skillset to his ridiculous competitive fire.

Bryant won five championships as a Laker, three-peating alongside Shaquille O’Neal before winning consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 without a top-75 teammate. He got as close to Jordan as possible, but ultimately fell short of his six rings. However, Bryant’s longevity extended far past Jordan’s 15 seasons, allowing him to notch more accolades than his hero.

Kobe was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, and 12-time All-Defensive member. He finished in the top five in MVP voting eleven times, though he only won the award once. Bryant is the most popular Laker ever, and Reaves did well to select him out of position.

PF: LeBron James

At the four, Reaves chose his teammate, LeBron James. You’d think this would satisfy Laker Nation a bit, but selecting James pales in comparison to the snub of Magic Johnson, especially as the King has struggled to capture the love of the spoiled fanbase. Now, Reaves also owes a lot to James, who saw potential in him when seemingly no one else did.

James has compiled an absurd resume in his 22-year career, which is about to enter Year 23 with no signs of slowing down. He has made 21 consecutive All-Star Games and All-NBA Teams, as well as four league MVPs, championships, and Finals MVPs. James added the cherry on top in the purple and gold, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

As one of the three guys with a legitimate GOAT case, there’s no argument whether James should be in this lineup. Furthermore, as a basketball player, he’s the most versatile and flawless fit on any roster. LeBron can play and guard any position on the floor, fill any defensive role, and can play on and off the ball offensively.

On this team, James would be its most valuable defender due to his versatility. On offense, he’d be the point forward that the lineup lacks because Reaves chose Curry over Magic. It’s the right and obvious choice.

C: Shaquille O’Neal

The fact that Reaves can choose one Laker legend at the center position and snub another all-time great at the same time speaks to how deep this franchise’s history is. It also shows why it’s silly for LA fans to argue over these decisions, as there are so many great players throughout NBA history. Reaves simply decided to go with the more modern group, as that’s what he knows best.

Austin went with Shaquille O’Neal at center over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he couldn’t go wrong with either. Shaq is perhaps the most physically dominant force the league has seen this side of Wilt, with athleticism that seemed impossible for the seven-foot-one, 325-pound moose that he was.

O’Neal led the Lakers to the league’s most recent three-peat by averaging 35.9 points and 15.2 rebounds on 59.5% from the field in the 2000-2002 NBA Finals. It’s the most spectacular visual and statistical run of the modern era, and has yet to be replicated since.

Kareem would’ve also been an excellent choice for this spot, but Reaves went with the Big Diesel. There’s no shame in that.